This past weekend was one of the happiest of my life. I was too busy to think about homework and surrounded by the people I love and who love me. College has felt like home for a long time, so I won’t say that I finally feel at home, but college has taught me to feel so much more deeply than I have in years. During my preteen and into my teenage years, I’m pretty sure I struggled with moderately severe depression. It leached the color from my life, leaving everything tinged sort of gray. My emotions were duller, and my excitement for the future was gone. I felt it again this winter; lack of sunlight does that to you. But now, it’s spring, and I’m breathing fresh air and walking with my skin exposed to soak up as much sun as possible, and I’m achingly happy. Let me tell you about my weekend.
Before I start, though, I want to give you all a recommendation: when the sun comes out, lie on the Pentacrest. As the weather warms up, you’ll see the quintessential college image of kids scattered on the green lawns of the Pentacrest, and you should join them! It’s so nice to lie in the sun, and I usually bring a book with me, catching up on a hobby that I don’t tend to make time for. If you’re not a reader, bring a friend and chat, or just sunbathe—either way, get outside after the long, cold Iowa winter!
This weekend, I visited the Athletics Hall of Fame for my Museum Studies class. While it was not my favorite museum, I enjoyed hanging out with the friends I went with, and getting rescued by my other friend when we missed our bus back! (The Hall of Fame is very, very far from campus…) That day, I also went to a bridal shower with my bible study and to the Campus Activities Board (CAB) Spring Formal with my dear friend, Elza! Shoutout, Elza, I know you read these 😉 We made beautiful flower crowns and watched my RA tear up the dance floor. I was exhausted by the end of that day for sure, but dressing up and going to events is one of my favorite activities, so I wasn’t mad. 
Luckily for me, I had another event the next day! It was the Boundless X launch party! This is the lit mag that I work for, and it was so satisfying to lay out the copies and listen to our authors and translators read their pieces aloud. We work on the magazine all year; it’s a long labor of love, but oh, how I love it. I’m sad that it’s over, but so ready to dive right back in next year! 
After the launch, we celebrated at The Green House, a gorgeous little cocktail lounge that serves plenty of non-alcoholic drinks, too. Their house-made syrups are amazing—I had a blackberry latte, and it tasted almost like eating fruit-infused chocolate. It’s a great place for everyone; the loud, the quiet, those who drink, and those who don’t. It was also just so lovely to sit around with other translators and exec members and talk. For me, truly, there is nothing better than a long and loud yap session that’s full of laughter, and trust me, we could not stop laughing. I went home, weary once more, but worn out from activities that filled my cup and didn’t drain it.
Of course, I had to go back to my real life the next day, which, surprise! Is still full of sunlight and the people I love. I’m feeling very lucky because this finals season is not stressing me out at all. Maybe I’ll eat my words, but for now, I’ll take the long, relatively lazy afternoons and enjoy them.
It may not sound like much, but this weekend was drenched in joy and laughter, which is what made it so great. My world is vibrant again, richly painted in every hue. High school was fun, but at college I’m no longer tethered to my hometown, my parents, and the expectations of those I’ve known the longest. I haven’t changed much, but everything has, at the same time. This year is closing on a high note, and oh, how grateful I am 🙂
Thank you, my dedicated readers, for coming along this journey with me. I will have at least one more blog post out to you before the year ends, which will be a deeper reflection on how I’ve changed over the year. College is a transformative time, and I’ve felt it! I appreciate you all for following along.
All the best,
Kiah<3
